Expressing skepticism over the sincerity and capacity of the fresh committee, they said upgrade of the three-member committee into a full-fledged was a far cry.
Some senior leaders of the party even alleged that the party high command could not maintain the custom of seniority while picking up Dr Shahadat Hossain as the president of the city chapter.
Other officer bearers of the committee are Abu Sufian, vice-president, and Abul Hashem Bakkar, secretary.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced three names of the fresh Chittagong city unit committee on Saturday.
Brushing aside all misgivings, the new office bearers assured party men that a full-fledged committee would be formed without any delay.
It may be mentioned that the last council of BNP’s city chapter could not be held as followers of BNP leaders- Abdullah Al Noman and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury locked in a fierce clash on November 16, 2009.
The central leaders had to return to Dhaka at that time without announcing any committee. Later a five-member committee was formed in January 2010, where Khasru and Dr Shahadat were made president and secretary, respectively, and Dastagir Chowdhury, Shamshul Alam and Abu Sufian were made vice-presidents.
Following the death of BNP leader Dastagir Chowdhury, the city chapter was running its organisational activities with only four members. Chittagong city chapter is supposed to be comprised of 151 members as per the constitution of the party.
Speaking on a note of disappointment, Abu Sufian said: “The party high command on several occasions assured me that I would be made city unit president. Now it is a sheer disgrace to me that I have been superseded by Dr Shahadat.”
“My supporters and followers are pressing to step down. I have promised them of stepping aside as vice-president after meeting with the party chairperson,” said the aggrieved leader who was also vice-president in the previous committee.
“We have been eagerly waiting for a full-fledged city BNP committee for a long time. However, the previous committee signally failed to upgrade it in the last seven years,” said Abdus Sattar, former joint secretary of Chittagong city BNP.
“The party workers are feeling down in the dumps. A full-fledged city chapter will turn out to be a morale booster for the grassroots activists of the party,” said the party old guard.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Dr Shahadat Hossain said their first and foremost duty was to form a full-fledged committee within three to six months.
Dr Shahadat, however, said the previous committee where he acted as the secretary could not play its due role due to unfavourable political atmosphere in the country.
Abul Hashem Bakkar, secretary of the fresh committee also assured of forming a full-fledged committee very soon accommodating both old guard and fresh blood.
